Teen stars from television, film and music will join young people from across North Los Angeles on Saturday, June 18 to help build homes for low-income working families as part of Habitat For Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys’ Youth Build.
The event is being chaired by young television and film stars Doug Brochu (Disney’s “So Random” formerly “Sunny with a Chance”) and Chris Brochu, star of the recent theatrical release “Soul Surfer” and the Disney movie “Lemonade Mouth.” Other young celebrities scheduled to take part include Nolan Gould and Ariel Winter from “Modern Family,” Ty Panitz (“Bones”) and his younger brother Parris Mosteller who plays Stinky on the summer kids movie “Judy Moody & the Not Bummer Summer” and Hayley Pullos from “General Hospital,” to name just a few.
In addition to helping build 10 homes, the volunteers will also create a new neighborhood playground and participate in a home dedication ceremony when 14 families receive the keys to their new homes. Participation in Youth Build is limited to 300 teens. Registration is $25 and participants are asking their friends and family to sponsor them with additional donations. All the money raised will be used to build a Youth United home at the Pacoima site.
“We believe it is important to connect with young people in a way that instills and nurtures the broad concept of community service. We also are committed to spreading the word that advocacy is a lifetime habit that can be both fulfilling and fun,” said Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys CEO Donna Deutchman.
The San Fernando Habitat for Humanity affiliate has been piloting a new “Enriched Neighborhood Model” at its Pacoima site bringing social and educational services in addition to homeowner programs such as repair and money management. A recent survey conducted with families from the first phases of the project shows this model is quite successful. While only 18 percent Pacoima area high school students graduate, in Habitat’s planned community the children have a 100 percent high school graduation rate with 92 percent attending or having graduated from college or a trade school, and with over 50 percent graduating from a 4-year university. Many adults have also gone on to college and, within 3 1/2 years of moving in, Habitat Pacoima families have reported an average 14 percent increase in income.
For more information on the event, click here.
